"Fair play in gambling." Shen Xihe's lips curved upward as she looked at Xiao Huayong.
"I concede, I concede. I wholeheartedly admire Youyou." Xiao Huayong smiled with tender affection, his voice exceptionally gentle. "Everything unfolded exactly as Youyou predicted."
"Not entirely within expectations." Shen Xihe pondered before continuing. "I didn't anticipate Second Miss Yu would utilize the Yu family."
While the general situation matched her predictions, she had been curious where Yu Sangning would find skilled assassins to target Prince Zhao. Hiring killers would inevitably leave traces - too many lingering concerns. If the Emperor investigated the assassination attempt on a prince and discovered Pingyao Marquisate's involvement, the household would face execution rather than exile.
Only through a thorough investigation revealing no connection to Pingyao Marquisate could the family be completely defined as victims. Yu Sangning exploited the previous incident with Yu Zao, making Yu Dalang's actions appear justified after his suffering.
This way, even though Yu Sangzi coincidentally brought guards to the same location as Prince Zhao, her presence wouldn't raise suspicions about the timing being too convenient.
As for how Yu Dalang managed to orchestrate such a large-scale operation - Yu Sangning knew she couldn't handle everything alone, so she involved the entire Pingyao Marquisate. With the Marquis and his heir involved, these matters were no longer her concern.
"One more thing." Xiao Huayong said. "First Miss Yu isn't dead, and was sent away by the Pingyao Marquis heir."
Shen Xihe hadn't stationed people to watch Pingyao Marquisate, so she was unaware of this. The Marquisate's people had acted cleanly, nearly deceiving even his informants.
"Not dead?" This surprised Shen Xihe.
Yu Sangning always acted ruthlessly, never leaving loose ends. Why would she spare Yu Sangzi's life this time?
"Perhaps she still has some conscience?" Xiao Huayong said in a teasing tone.
Shen Xihe glanced at him. "It can only mean First Miss Yu being alive benefits her more than being dead."
Xiao Huayong chuckled softly. "Indeed, Youyou understands women's minds better."
As Shen Xihe suspected, Yu Sangzi survived because Yu Sangning provided a fake death pill. With blades being unpredictable, no one knew if Yu Sangzi would survive taking that stab. The worst outcome would have been death, but heaven favored her - though the stab appeared deep, it missed vital organs.
After removing the blade, the imperial physician said Yu Sangzi would survive if she woke up. She did wake up, then took the fake death pill Yu Sangning gave her. She had to die, whether truly or falsely - she couldn't marry into the prince's household.
During her "final rally," she entrusted Yu Sangning to Prince Zhao. Owing a life debt, Prince Zhao naturally agreed. Moreover, after sending Yu Sangzi away, to preserve Prince Zhao's dignity, the Yu family registered Yu Sangning under Madam Yu. Now Yu Sangning was no longer a concubine-born daughter, but a legitimate one.
This legitimate daughter, owing to her merit toward Yu Sangzi and service to the Yu family, would inevitably receive Pingyao Marquisate's full support. Even Madam Yu, for her biological daughter's sake, wouldn't make things difficult for Yu Sangning, if not treat her particularly well.
With this move, she completely won over Pingyao Marquisate, making it her backing and maternal family. As for Prince Zhao, owing the Marquisate a life debt, he absolutely couldn't treat Yu Sangning poorly.After Yu Sangzi's first week memorial, Prince Zhao requested His Majesty's permission to marry the second daughter of the Yu household. The entire capital knew this marriage was bought with the eldest Yu daughter's life. Since Yu Sangning had already been recognized as a legitimate daughter, His Majesty naturally granted Prince Zhao's request.
However, due to the recent passing of the eldest Yu daughter, the wedding was postponed for three months.
As for Yu Dalang's assassination attempt, it inevitably led to renewed appeals for reinvestigating Yu Zao's case. But with Shen Xihe setting the trap and Xiao Huayong cleaning up the evidence, no amount of effort could overturn the verdict.
Yu Zao was indeed an imposter, and Yu Dalang had developed malicious intentions due to his inability to cope with the sudden change in status. "Prince Zhao's legitimate eldest son... I'm afraid his days are numbered," Shen Xihe murmured. She had seen the child - a delicate, handsome boy with a delightful personality.
Yu Sangning was a self-serving individual. The reason Yu Sangzi had been unwilling to marry Prince Zhao was precisely because of her kindness - she couldn't bear to harm the child, yet didn't want her own children to be born inferior. This was why she strongly resisted becoming Princess Consort Zhao.
Yu Sangning was different. Anyone standing in her way would meet a bad end. Her next target would undoubtedly be Prince Zhao's legitimate eldest son.
Xiao Huayong listened to her words while touching the Five-Colored Thread on his wrist. "You said she fears you like a tiger. If she marries Second Brother, might she persuade him to remain content with his position?"
"She fears me because she was a mere concubine-born daughter of a marquis household with no backing, while I am a legitimate daughter of a prince with overwhelming power. Now she is no longer that insignificant concubine-born daughter. Although I am the Crown Princess, ranking above her, once she becomes Princess Consort Zhao, she will be my elder sister-in-law in private matters. She may not necessarily continue to fear me."
Shen Xihe handed a treat to Baisui, then gave another to Duanming. "If Prince Zhao has ambitions, and given your... reputation, since Prince Zhao doesn't know your true nature, she would only fuel his ambitions for the sake of shared glory as husband and wife."
The position of Empress - how could Yu Sangning, now with her family's support, not be tempted?
"In that case, shouldn't we send them away sooner?" Better to remove them from sight.
"Why hurry to deal with people we can dispose of at any time?" Shen Xihe wasn't anxious. Keeping them around could create trouble for His Majesty and occasionally serve as decoys. "What concerns me more is Prince Jing..."
Xiao Changyan had become Minister of War, holding the highest official position among all the princes. With Xiao Huayong frequently falling ill, many speculated about His Majesty's intentions toward Xiao Changyan. Xiao Changyan had been unusually quiet lately, as if he had forgotten about Pei Zhan's death.
But Shen Xihe hadn't forgotten his visit to the Eastern Palace and what he said to Xiao Huayong. He suspected Xiao Huayong, or perhaps her and Father, never believing Pei Zhan's death was accidental. The more he appeared this way, the more unpredictable he became.
"Little Eight is indeed more interesting than the others," Xiao Huayong chuckled softly. "Don't worry, I'll assign him an interesting companion too."
Xiao Changgeng, the twelfth prince and Prince of Yan, had thought his Crown Prince elder brother would become more normal after marriage. But after a year without assignments, his Crown Prince brother remembered him again, ordering him to attach himself to the eighth prince. Put nicely, it was allegiance; put bluntly, it was espionage.
Xiao Changgeng didn't know this eighth brother particularly well - Xiao Changyan had left the capital when he was very young. But his Crown Prince brother had anticipated all his concerns and provided him with detailed information about the eighth prince's habits.
"Why do you always pick on the twelfth prince alone?" Shen Xihe couldn't help asking after hearing Xiao Huayong's arrangement.Xiao Huayong had set up schemes several times, and Xiao Changgeng always played an unexpected role at critical moments. Yet Xiao Changgeng was adept at staying hidden, handling affairs in a conventional manner, making it difficult for many to recall him easily.
"Very useful," Xiao Huayong revealed a bright, white-toothed smile.
For those who had ever harbored intentions toward his Youyou, not making full use of them would truly be a waste of such thoughts.
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